title: Predictors of outcome in hypoglycemic encephalopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate factors predicting poor prognosis in patients with hypoglycemic encephalopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed data on 165 consecutive patients with hypoglycemic encephalopathy. We evaluated their outcome 1 week after hypoglycemia onset using the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) and compared the clinical features of patients with good outcomes (GOS = 5) and poor outcomes (GOS ≤ 4).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The poor-outcome group included 38 patients (23%). The initial blood glucose level in the poor-outcome group was lower than that in the good-outcome group (p = 0.002). The duration of hypoglycemia in the poor-outcome group was longer than that in the good-outcome group (p < 0.001). Body temperature during hypoglycemia in the poor-outcome group was higher than that in the good-outcome group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, lactic acid level in the poor-outcome group was lower than in the good-outcome group (p = 0.032). There was no significant difference in the frequency of posttreatment hyperglycemia between the good-outcome and poor-outcome groups (p = 0.984).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Profound and prolonged hypoglycemia, normal or higher body temperature, and a low lactic acid level during hypoglycemia may be predictors of a poor outcome in patients with hypoglycemic encephalopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Aki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: Nobuya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: Masatoyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimohata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D001928:Brain Diseases, Metabolic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D023261:Glasgow Outcome Scale; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D019344:Lactic Acid
keywords: Body temperature; Glasgow outcome scale; Hypoglycemic encephalopathy; Prognosis